We had a great crowd out Monday Feb. 20 to visit with Phong on his visit back from Buffalo, NY. He brought a whole collection of Vietnam era jets to run a CY6! - Jet Age scenario set around a Wild Weasel mission in the 1967 Rolling Thunder period.

The USAF had x2 F-105 Thuds w/ Shrikes and bombs, and x4 F-4 Phantoms, half w/ bombs (Iron Hand) and half w/ missiles-only (MiGCAP). The PVAF had a section of x2 MiG-17s, and another of x1 each MiG-17 and MiG-21 to defend a SA-2 site w/ lots of AAA.

The Iron Hand Phantoms and Thuds arrived first at low-altitude (to hide from SAM radar) and bore in on the target. The MiGs arrived soon after and the 17/21 section tangled with the Thuds early, while the 17 element had a head-on intercept and poured on the gas to close range.

The missile fire was less than effective. The SA-2 got off 6 shots at various targets and missed every time. The Thuds fired x3 Shrikes at the SAM site and they all malfunctioned. Phantoms fired off some Sparrow AIM-7s which also malfunctioned. The USAF players were not pleased with the McNamara's decision not to put a gun in the F-4D model.

The AAA scored well, but there was LOTS of it. Hits on aircraft included both Thuds, a Phantom, and a MiG-21! In the end game, a MiG-17 gunned an egressing Phantom for a kill and the wounded Thud didn't make a successful egress due to engine damage and MiG-17s nearby. The damaged Thud and x3 surviving Phantoms poured on the gas and burned back to their bases in Thailand.

We all enjoyed the game and are very appreciative of Phong for bringing these Vietnam jets to Houston and hosting the game. Pictures of the game are in the Photo Gallery. This was a special event to catch Phong on his annual visit to Houston. Next Monday night we resume Convoy HG-84 as it struggles to get to Liverpool through the last of the wolfpacks.